Ex-Cowboys lineman bears no grudge to team that let him go

NEW ORLEANS — Leonard Davis rarely thinks about his four years with the Cowboys.

He has fond memories and cherishes the relationships. There is no sense of vindication now that he is at the Super Bowl with a chance to win a title that has escaped his former franchise for 17 years.

But when the San Francisco guard does reflect on his time in Dallas, it’s impossible to ignore what the team failed to accomplish.

“I feel like we could have done more,” Davis said Tuesday during the sensory overload known as media day. “The thing was not winning when we had the opportunities.

“But that’s any team. When you really feel like you had a chance to do something and you came up short, you can become disappointed. Sometimes, it can grind at you, but you’ve got to move on and always figure out, hey, what can I do to get better?”

Davis was part of the Cowboys offensive line purge heading into the 2011 season. He, along with fellow starters Marc Colombo and Andre Gurode, were released before the season began.

Kyle Kosier followed the next season as the Cowboys decided it was time to shed salaries and age.

“I was a little surprised,” said Davis, 34. “But I’ve been around long enough to know the nature of the business.

“Hell, you’ve got to win. That’s what this league is all about. If you’re not winning, you’ve got to make changes. Obviously, that was part of it.

“I don’t have any animosity toward Jerry [Jones] or anyone there. For me to say I do, I would be lying.”

Davis was a fixture at right guard in his four seasons with the Cowboys, starting 64 consecutive games. Kosier, Mackenzy Bernadeau and Derrick Dockery have all started at right guard since his departure.

The Cowboys began their reclamation of the offensive line two seasons ago. Is the line that took the field in 2012 any better than the one the coaching staff dismantled? Have the Cowboys built a bridge to the future with their front five or a bridge to nowhere?

Davis doesn’t wrestle with such questions. No team picked him up after his release from Dallas until Detroit did so in Week 9. He never took the field for the Lions.

The 49ers have given him the chance to finish his career as a contributor on what may be the league’s finest offensive line.

“I’ve gotten the opportunity to put the pads back on, suit up and play,” Davis said. “I really enjoy it.

“I knew this would be a good place for me.”

The second player taken in the 2001 draft no longer starts. He plays behind Alex Boone.

But Davis does play. He’s gotten on the field for every game this season.

The transition from starter to backup was difficult at first. But the veteran’s humility and love of the sport has allowed him to embrace this stage of his career.

“I remember the years I was starting, the one thing the coaches always told the younger guys was to give good looks in practice,” Davis said. “If they don’t give good looks, then you don’t do the team justice.

“That came back to my mind, and I really understood, OK, I’m not starting, but I’ve got to take all of these scout team reps and give a good look for our defense. I’m not doing them any good by just going out there and jacking around.

“I think it’s really paid off. Each and every week we talk to the D-line and ask what do we need to do from a scout team perspective to help you guys.”

Davis still comes to Dallas occasionally because of his business ties to the Smashburger chain. But he has sold his home in Dallas and lives in Chandler, Ariz., during the off-season.

Now, he hopes to pick up the championship he never could in Dallas.

“I don’t even really think about it unless somebody brings it up,” Davis said of his time with the Cowboys. “And then, it’s just, well, I spent four years there. I had great times when I was there and that was it, regardless of how it ended.”

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310) for Intentional Grounding every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m.